


Together Again

by Rumbellelives



Series: Rumbelle 2K Prompt-a-thon [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Belle remembers the enchanted forest, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Love, Mild Angst, Rumbelle - Freeform, Rumple runs to Belle, pining!belle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 16:36:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6996037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumbellelives/pseuds/Rumbellelives
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Belle doesn’t know why she is the only one who remembers who they all used to be. Sometimes, she wonders if there is something wrong with her… if she really is crazy. </p>
<p>Every day she passes by the shop. Seeing his face through the window sends a pang through her heart, as if someone has shot her through the chest with a poisoned arrow."</p>
<p>This is a season 1 AU in which Belle remembers the Enchanted Forest and pines for Rumple from afar. First fanfiction written for my 2k prompt-a-thon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together Again

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my lord, you guys. This was so so so much fun to write! I loved writing this kind of reversal storyline where Belle is the one pining over Rumple. It was rather sweet. 
> 
> This was written for my 2k prompt-a-thon! Thank you to azoroadaywontkeepsanjiaway for sending the prompt in! I hope I do it justice! I'm actually really nervous to post this now...

Together Again

Belle doesn’t know why she is the only one who remembers who they all used to be. Sometimes, she wonders if there is something wrong with her… if she really is crazy. 

She doesn't talk to anyone about it, about the memories in her head. Once she had tried to mention something to Ruby, but the young woman had just laughed at her. "Sounds like that's something you need to talk to Archie about."

So she keeps to herself, not talking to anyone about the Enchanted Forest.

She walks through the streets alone most days, making her way to the library to read like she usually does. She does her best to avoid the Evil Queen, whom everyone seems to treat as normally as they would anyone else, even though the woman is a murderer. She sometimes smiles and waves at Snow White and she recognizes people from her past life. 

The only person she can’t put her finger on is Henry… that kid is different, and she isn’t quite sure what’s up with him. But because he is the Queen’s son, she stays away from him as well, not wanting to start any fires that she wont be able to put out.

Every day she passes by his shop, glancing inside to see what he is doing and if he is okay. He always has that same unreadable expression on his face. She wishes that he would remember her, but knows that he does not. 

Seeing his face now through the window sends a pang through her heart, as if someone has shot her through the chest with a poisoned arrow. This morning, he is sipping a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. She contemplates going inside, and before she can stop herself, her hand is on the door handle.

The doorbell jingles cheerily and she can feel a blush rising to her cheeks when Rumple looks up at her.

“Hello,” he says. “What can I help you with today?”

Her heart beats a little faster at the sound of his voice. This is how he greets all of his customers, but for some odd reason it still makes her blush.

“I… umm… I’m looking for a gift for a friend. I wont be but a moment,” she says with a small smile. 

She turns away from him, pretending to be interested in the odd assortment of items on the shelves around her. Her hands tremble and she almost drops one of the wine glasses on the shelf. She wipes her sweaty palms on her pants and pretends that she is fine. She can feel his eyes follow her around the shop. 

She shouldn’t have come in here. It is a bad idea to get any closer to him than absolutely necessary. What if the Evil Queen actually remembers the Enchanted Forest? What if she remembers who Belle and Rumple were and uses that against them?

Her hands tremble even more. 

“Are you alright, sweetheart?”

She lets out a gasp, jumping slightly. Hurriedly, she fakes a smile and turns. _Everything is perfectly normal,_ she thinks to herself. _I'm just going about my day like I usually do._

“I’m fine,” she says, placing the pendant on the front counter. “Sorry for the wait.” 

The necklace is a shining silver, a single chain from which hangs a little red stone. It glints in the morning sunlight that falls over the counter, bathing the room in a pale gold orange. 

“This is a rather beautiful gift,” he says, ringing it up for her. The ping of the register echoes in the silence. 

Her fingers fumble to pull the crumpled bills out of her purse and she passes the amount of money she owes.

“I took a few dollars off for you,” he says with a smile. “Consider it an early morning discount. Try not to spread the word about it, or I'll have a flood of angry customers.”

She wants so desperately to tell him who she is, what she is really doing there. But she bites her lip, whispers a thank you, and rushes to the door, trying not to look into his eyes the whole time. 

She barely makes it outside before the tears come.

XXX

Mr. Gold watches the young woman nearly sprint away. His hand feels warm where their fingers brushed together. He lifts up his hand to inspect it, but it appears to be fine.

He sees her pass by his shop every morning at the same time, and she always glances his way. For some reason seeing her blue eyes every day sends a little warm feeling spreading through his core. He enjoys walking her walk by and glance in his window, although he is very careful to make sure she doesn't know he is watching her. 

He actually started coming and opening the shop early every morning so that he can see her, even on Saturdays, the one day a week he usually takes off. He knows it's a little dumb but there is just something about her. 

She has never come in until today, buying that little pendant and then leaving as quickly as she arrived. It was a nice surprise, but he wishes he had spoken a little more to her.

_She’s pretty… beautiful…_ he thinks to himself.

Next time he vows to get her number or invite her to coffee. He flips back open his newspaper, humming a little tune as he reads the headlines. 

XXX

_ Emma. _

The name is what sparks his memory, sending it back like a rushing tidal wave. He almost stumbles from the intensity of it.

He forces his expression to be blank and excuses himself from the inn as quickly as possible. 

_ Belle. _

She has been so close to him this whole time, walking by his shop every day. If only he had just remembered her… He has to find her right away!

He is practically running to the library, not caring who sees him, not caring how ridiculous he looks. His thoughts are on only one person.

He pushes the door open and steps inside. His eyes take a moment to adjust to the change in lighting and he blinks the white spots away from his vision.

He doesn’t see her at first.

“Belle?” he calls. “Belle? Sweetheart?”

His chest tightens in fear when he realizes something. She wont remember him. The only person she will see when she sees his face is Mr. Gold, the pawnbroker, the antique shop owner, and the pompous wealthy man who owns the whole town.

_ What if she hates me? _

He turns to make his way out of the library.

“Rumple, wait!”

Those two words make his heart stop.

_ Rumple… _

_ She had said… _

He feels her hand on his shoulder and he turns to see her beautiful smile, as bright as the sun and as beautiful as the stars.

Suddenly they are kissing, his hands clutching either side of her hips to pull her closer. Her fingers comb through his hair. He can feel her smiling against his lips.  Something wet touches his fingers and he pulls away from her, alarmed at her tears. 

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" he asks, fingers dancing lightly over her cheeks, checking her for any sign of injury. 

She is laughing now, pulling him into a hug. "No, nothing like that, Rumple! I just missed you so much."

He nods into her shoulder, breathing in the scent of her rose perfume. They stand there for what seems like an eternity, but when he pulls away from her, he feels as if it was too soon to part from each other's embrace. 

"Let's go somewhere more private," he says to her. "We have a lot to talk about."

They walk away, hand in hand, relishing in being together again. 


End file.
